A man's dream
by simonanderson
Summary: Cid was always the dreamer out of the group and despite the foul language and chain smoking he also was known as the emotional one.


**A man's dream**

Everyone knew Cid was truly emotional only when he was silent. Normally the patriarch of the group would swear and swing his spear with abandon. When he was really hurt or dealing with something all the noise would stop leaving one to think what was done to mute the pilot.

Cloud and Tifa saw it on the wing of the tiny bronco. After all for his dream he was essentially resigning by attacking Palmer like that. Resting his chin on his knees even the brooding one thought he had gone overboard for something seemingly inconsequential. Once they had made it to Wutai he brushed his old pants of any dirt that had gone on the trip with him he lit one of his many cigarettes before stomping on his way.

Shera saw it after the first failure at the launch site. She had gotten caught and the window to launch was so slim she knew it was going to be tight if everything was perfect. Him stopping it all just to make sure she was not hurt was a statement of his character that she wasn't expecting. Working with Shinra one had heard the sort of schemes they would put in play just to get something done. Cid was different as her life was found to be more valuable then his dream. Looking on the pilot's cockpit on the terminal the burning energy he usually carried was snuffed out as he dropped to his knees clutching his spear. The expression of somber pain tore at her as everyone else wondered why they don't just wait until the next window. Hindsight being perfect she would guess he knew more then the rest of them. All the setbacks that would soon start taking place he would just swear up his usual storm to get his men moving a little faster. Every time the company had to contact him about his baby being on chopping block was another point for him. No matter their reasons he had something to counter whether it was new progress or different avenues of profitability in space.

Vincent and Barrett saw it after they had to kill his dream. From Cosmo Canyon to Rocket Town the usual banter was minus one. Standing on the observatory deck he looked at the sky past the great gas engine chamber in to the void of space. Both had tried to rouse him for meetings when he came back down only to be threatened with a stick of dynamite. After the brooding ex-turk came back sporting new powder burns everyone knew it would be tough on the chain smoker.

Everyday for four decades he wanted the rocket to fly, and him to be its pilot. Against the fate of the rest of the world he couldn't explain how it should happen that way. He didn't want to end his dream in such a way in respect to all the late nights, tight deadlines and funding issues just to put something in the stars. No amount of whiskey could get him to explain to the rest of avalanche how he should be piloting when there was no need for it. The crash between meteor and the rocket would only send debris over the world and casualties would be expected. He hated to have anyone die for his dream.

Yuffie saw it after the had comeback with the large materia. Trying to get her hands on the rare item had her sent ass over teakettle landing on her back rather gracelessly. Hearing Cait Sith blown up with a stick of dynamite did not help prove Reeve on the other side that he was stable enough to continue.

Red XIII saw it with Cait Sith trying to gauge if the oldest of them can continue. Questioning if he could go on brought around a sparring match. Refereeing the match between him and the cub Reeve sat watching the screens as the report on the pilot sat on his desk back in turk HQ. Looking it over he knew about all the pain he had gone through from the shattered knees and chronic pain to pulled tendons and ripped muscle. When he fought to prove his worth Cid bested the younger beast with little more then a couple seconds of effort. He was the man to beat in short range combat.

In the northern crater he made sure he was going to be on the team to end Sephiroth. Vincent and Tifa rounded the group going in to the final battle as the rest of them waited in position in case he tried to escape. Before crossing the final threshold Tifa stopped to ask him a question that everyone wanted the answer to.

"Why?"

Lighting on of his dwindling supply of cigarettes he took a drag before answering.

"Every day, since I was a child I had wanted to fly. As I grew into adulthood my dreams grew as well. My life was centered on being the first space pilot flying something of my own design. Now, while all of you have lost someone, you have something to hold on to. For me though.. Everyone in my family died long ago. I'm not a spring chicken and I know I don't have enough time to try again from scratch."

Everyone heard the emotional response letting it sink in for a moment before he continued. Pulling out a bundle of dynamite he looked at the two other members of the current party before finishing.

"So I'm going to take all the lost nights and days that m%#$ f*& #$^ cost me out of his sissy white haired $$ one shot at a time. Then I am going to go kill that little creepy b $# %^$ mother so that his god D #$%^ #$** stained, #!$ sucking, emo f $%## fu$%# will never be able to comeback!He killed my dream for now so the %#$ #$ gonna die for good."

Lighting the stem with his cigarette he smiled before hurling the bundled half dozen sticks to their intended target. During the fight Cloud sat from an outcropping ready to drop in. Cid was a pilot first but even the SOLDIER noted how much of a fighter he was. Hearing the tirade before hand it was not long before he tried to make good on his word of taking ever day and night lost to his dream from the hide of the black caped nightmare.

After the victory many could be seen partying. Shera just watched as still sporting his bloody clothes he began to draw up new plans for a better rocket. He was going to be the first space pilot and everyone knew that it was useless to stop him.


End file.
